V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes also did five laps at the wheel of the car. He said: “When I first went out it was the acceleration but when you go through turn two you really realise how much acceleration you have. In comparison the V8 seems to labour up the mountain.”

Button also got to drive a Holden Commodore V8 as raced by Lowndes. Button said: “As a driver you have your favourite tracks. Like Macau and Silverstone for instance.

“But this is the one I haven?óÔé¼Ôäót had the possibility of driving and I?óÔé¼Ôäóm going to fulfil a childhood dream in not only a V8 but also in a Formula 1 car ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ which I think is pretty special myself.

“This is an iconic race track and it?óÔé¼Ôäós great to celebrate the unofficial fastest lap in a F1 car. That was phenomenal. It was such a rush.

“Once you get over the straights being quite hard to control the car over it is such a pleasure. It?óÔé¼Ôäós just a pity I don?óÔé¼Ôäót have more laps to test it out.”

Button said he was surprised by how much he could attack the circuit driving the Commodore: “I didn?óÔé¼Ôäót expect so much grip. It took me a while to get used to it.

“I haven?óÔé¼Ôäót hammered a car over kerbs like that for 12 years so it was a new experience for me and something I?óÔé¼Ôäóve missed.

“I was holding on tight all the way. It takes everything out of you. It was the experience I?óÔé¼Ôäóve wanted to have for many years and I?óÔé¼Ôäóve finally done it. In a way it?óÔé¼Ôäós probably not a good thing because it?óÔé¼Ôäós made me more hungry to come back.”

81 comments on Button does first lap of Bathurst in an F1 car

Without wishing to be boring, if Jenson had crashed and injured himself – a possibility as he was going for quick laps and didn’t want to be shown up by a non-F1 driver, this could have been similar to the Kubica incident.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that drivers should be able to have fun, do what they want, etc… but I also question what McLaren are doing with Jenson just a week before the season starts.

One of the best circuit in the world,I better watch an F1 race there then in Valencia.It has everything,the fast corners,nature, good straight.If they want to drop Melbourne this is one place they should go given the fact that they make it FIA standard.